Chapter 14

Having fun with his concubines had done nothing but raise his sense of guilt about the time spent that could've been used otherwise. The only good thing was that he could at least outwardly pretend to be back on track to make them stop worrying, which was a good thing at least.

There was no worse feeling for a man than the sense of helplessness, and he felt it in spades. Buku was reporting the news, or rather, the lack thereof, daily, and he was sure she was trying her best to make it sound as optimistic and positive as possible.

With the entirety Nazarick working around the clock, there wasn't even a single clue on where to find the culprit. Buku, Ainz, and Ulbert pinned the Slane Theocracy as the main suspect region-wise, but that wasn't enough for anyone, let alone him.

Just sending hordes of monsters into the nation of human supremacists would yield no useful results, and possibly create more antagonistic forces toward them, further impeding their goals for this land.

As much as Pero just wanted to barge into the undead's office and punch him in the skull, this action would likely end with him either getting his ass kicked or dying at the hands of Rubedo, who hadn't left Ainz's presence since their initial splintering.

To blow off some steam, Pero was destroying target dummies in the dojo, though the lifeless objects gave no satisfaction of victory. As he swiped another one of them in half, he grunted in annoyance. An organic and alive opponent would surely serve better, but no matter the anger, he wasn't about to stoop so low as to torment Nazarick's pop monsters who were needed for overall defense.

'Wait a minute. I have that bitch. I could… she's from Slane!' A sudden realization hit him the moment he thought of unleashing his built-up frustrations on the prisoner that belonged to him.

Truth be told, he had not given the order to question her, so nobody had done that. Someone had said she was a former secret elite unit operative, but Pero hadn't bothered to find out more. With him only giving instructions to torment her as much as possible, the ever-eager-please Servants of Nazarick's leaders did just that.

Within a blink of an eye, he was standing in Clementine's torture chamber with Neuronist and her crew working on Clementine.

It seemed the entertainment of the day was waterboarding. The detestable woman was writhing on the table as the ice-cold water was poured upon and through the cloth covering her face. Her naked body was varying shades of blue, her fingers and toes being black from the frostbite.

It was just one of many torture methods Demiurge had devised once it became clear she was getting too used to pain. Sleep deprivation, sensory overload, and even more creative things like manipulating the woman's arousal levels without any release were just some of the techniques he had created just for her. The creativity of the archdemon knew no bounds when it came to inflicting suffering.

"Lord Pero!" Neuronist croaked and kneeled, her obese form jiggling like jelly with the rest of the torturers following suit.

"I want to talk with her," Pero stated.

The cloth was immediately removed from Clementine's face and the table she was strapped to moved up vertically so Pero could face her.

"My Lord!" She declared, breaking into a wide smile after a short session of violent coughing.

"Do you know what a player is? Are there any in Slane?" Pero ignored her unsettling expression and went straight to questioning. He could have left this task to Neuronist, but that would deprive him of any satisfaction should Clementine know something of worth and tell him.

From the reports he received, it was painfully clear that Clementine had gone insane and fully believed Pero was her God, who was cleansing her to be his eternal servant. No wonder he had left her here for so long.

"Yes, Lord, this sinner knows! This sinner knows of players like you. They once ruled Theocracy. Called themselves Gods. Pathetic excuses compared to your magnificence!" She writhed as she spoke, letting out a short moan at the end.

"Are any of them alive? Do any of them have world items that have mind control ability?"

"All dead. Only artifacts remain. An old crone uses the divine artifact. Just a human. Unworthy of the artifact she is."

'It was all my fault. Dammit dammit dammit! I could have prevented all this!'

Pero's heart skipped a beat. The answer had been under his beak this entire time, yet in his carelessness he hadn't given the order to question Clementine. He could've known from the start there was someone with world items in this world and properly warned the others; at that moment he realized that he was just as guilty as Ainz, if not more so.

Pero was now regretting not interrogating this prisoner, she obviously had valuable information. But because he was moping the hell around, he had not ordered her questioning.

He twisted his arms into knuckles, drawing his blood with the razor-sharp talons.

"Where? Where can I find her?"

"Silksuntecks. She is in the capital of Theocracy. Maybe in her mansion. Maybe in one of the cathedrals. Maybe in the bed of one of the cardinals. Unworthy she is. Uncleansed."

{ I know who and what controls Shalltear. I am going after it. } Pero notified his sister before getting the precise locations of all the places Clementine mentioned from her.

{ You aren't going anywhere! How do you even know? } Buku replied in her 'I am the big sister I know better' tone.

{ I asked the cunt I captured in E-Rantel. She knows who has the world item. I'm going after that- } Pero was having none of it, too worked up to even think straight.

{ And getting your moronic ass mind-controlled as well? Find out whatever you can and let's make a plan as a guild. Ainz needs to know. } Buku interrupted him.

{ I don't have time to talk with- }

{ I am not asking! If you try to leave Nazarick, I will kick your ass and toss you next to Shalltear! Am I clear? } The sheer anger Buku transmitted through that message snapped him back to reality, physically shaking him from the intensity he received.

{ Fine, call the meeting. I'll bring Clementine for questioning. }

{ Good. And bro, for once think with your head. We're all at fault, not just Ainz, and we all should fix it, OK? }

{ I fucking know that, but he was supposed to keep us in line! }

{ Pero, drop it. Ainz has been trying to find the culprit nonstop, peering through mirrors since the moment you had left, in search of clues. You and him need to talk things out. We have real enemies, and we can't afford to be divided. Look, I understand, he was the one to send Shalltear out, but we went out without thinking about world items as well. Each one of us. We could have ended up in your daughter's place just as easily. }

{ Sis, I know. I just…he should have kept us in line. He…I failed her. } His voice broke.

{ We all make mistakes. Pero, but now you know how to free her. Save that anger for our enemies. We will make them pay a thousand times over for what they have done. }

'She is right. I should not put all the blame on Ainz. The real enemy is out there.'

"Get her healed and cleaned and bring her to the ninth floor. I need her testimony for the rest of the guild." Pero ordered Neuronist and departed before the demented woman could praise him even more. A quick wardrobe change with his personal abilities and he teleported straight to Ainz's office.

The rest of the guild, even Tabula, was already waiting for him in Ainz's quarters. Pero noticed Rubedo and Albedo tensing up upon his entry, but decided not to address it. He sat down next to his sister, who had a worried expression on her face.

"Let's not waste time. Pero, since I could not ask you to stay behind, I'll give this to you right away." Ainz took out of his inventory what looked like a small whistle on a golden chain and slid it over the table.

"Is that?" Pero picked up the trinket.

"Yes. The rest already have theirs. Only you and Shalltear were without world items. I should have given them out before letting anyone leave the Tomb," Ainz admitted.

"Yeah, in hindsight all of us needed to be more careful. But you have been a bit of a shitty leader, you know." Pero replied.

"I know. I failed you all." Ainz glanced around.

"You are not getting out of the job. Even if Pero votes for your replacement, it's still three versus two in favor of you remaining the leader. We are shit out of luck and can't change the hierarchy if we want to survive," Ulbert cackled.

"I am not voting for him to step down. The last thing I need is sis in charge." Pero grumbled.

Before Buku could rail at him for the remark, Clementine was led into the room by Lupus. She immediately prostrated, her breath audibly shallow as she hyperventilated in their presence.

"Great Gods, this sinner is ready to testify."

"Skip the bullshit. Get up and explain in detail all the locations." Pero ordered.

Ainz had already prepared remote viewing mirrors and maps to verify the information, and Rubedo and Albedo also had them active as well.

Minutes later, Clementine's testimony provided exactly what they needed. With her direct input and surprising lack of anti-scrying measures, the dreadful woman, who kept Shalltear under mind control, was quickly located and her nearby defenses determined.

Once again Pero's desire to rush over there was shut down, by everyone this time. He would still be one to lead the attack, but not until a detailed plan and backup units were prepared to face a world item user with possibly decades of experience using said item head-on.

After the meeting, while Ainz and Ulbert worked on the plan with Albedo and Demiurge, Pero was left alone with his prisoner and not much else to do. He was sitting in his quarters on the sofa going over all the things he wished upon the Theocracy and the woman named Kaire in particular, Clementine was prostrating before him all the meanwhile.

At first, Clementine tried to sing praises of his name, but one warning to shut up from him was enough to shut her mouth. She did try to kiss his feet multiple times until he pulled his legs back, out of her reach, and thus she resorted to prostrating.

The question still remained, what to do with her? On one side Clementine had provided the information that would help free his daughter, but on another, that same information could've been just tortured out of her.

As he pondered all these topics, Ulbert came into his living space and announced. "You and Ainz are going after the old hag in an hour. He is providing support to ensure we leave no evidence or witnesses behind."

"Did Buku put him up to this? Some sort of, we should reconcile, type of bullshit?" Pero asked with an annoyed grunt.

"Ainz volunteered. It was between him or Tabula who would go, and Ainz is a better option as the wild card. You both should get on talking terms soon. We can't afford to fuck around anymore."

"I know. Better tell me what to do with her." Pero pointed at Clementine.

"Why are you asking me? Didn't you say yourself that the crazy ones-"

"Don't you dare finish that fucking sentence!" Pero roared.

"Hey, those were your words," Ulbert snickered.

"Fuck no!"

"Ask her then. I personally wouldn't waste a resource, and she is loyal to you. Isn't that right?" Ulbert reached forward and gently tapped Clementine's back with his walking stick.

"I live to serve, Lord. This sinner will atone with her blood!" She shrieked, still bowing before the avian.

'Do I really need someone like her to work for me? The torture had made her… not fully there. Still… killing her would be a waste. Maybe wipe her mind and set her free? I can't deny she is the reason I can save my Shalltear.' The woman brought up mixed emotions in him. Ulbert's remark about the crazy ones hit too close to home for comfort. In the end, Clementine was not that different from Lupus, except perhaps a bit more intense and coming from a different background.

"Is there anything else you came for?" Pero asked to switch the topic.

"Not at the moment. I'm sending Ninya and Lukrut home for a few days since Buku told me their team had awoken."

Pero rubbed his eyes and grunted. "Right, I should resume work."

"Honestly, it would help. Eight Fingers needs a lot of cleanup, plus I could use your line of work."

"Can we deal with it tomorrow?"

"Sure. I'll come over first thing in the morning." Ulbert stood up. "Oh, and try leaving at least a few people alive. Demi needs his test subjects and Tabula is a total hog as always, taking all the good ingredients."

"I'll keep it in mind."

And once again he was left alone in Clementine's company. Even the maids and bodyguards had kept their distance from the deranged woman.

"Get up," Pero ordered and Clementine immediately followed the order.

"What do you want?"

"This sinner-"

"Speak normally!"

"As you wish, Lord." She bowed deeply.

"So what do you want?"

"To serve you, my Lord. I wish to be your weapon," She explained, her smile once again growing near inhumanly wide as her eyes glittered.

"Why? I can just set you free, you know." Pero nearly looked away. Despite her insanity and unnerving behavior, the young woman was surely attractive, for a human, and even the torture had not taken that away.

"Please let me serve you, Lord. There is no greater reward for me to be of use to you."

"Why do you want it? I won't care what will happen after you die. I will take no part in your afterlife," Pero stated. From what Tabula had tried to explain to him, it would be only a matter of time before he would start building up his power base in the immaterial realms as well. For a God, physical death meant little in the grand scheme of things, and he may as well start outlining what he would do in the future.

But he was still far away from that point and couldn't even ensure that the people closest to him were safe. There was work to do, world items to steal, and theocracies to destroy.

"My Lord, I feel in my heart that my path is to be your weapon. I do not ask for anything else, but the chance to serve you. A good assassin never parts with a weapon that serves him well. I will prove my worth."

'She isn't lying. I can feel it. Why the hell is she so devoted to me after the hell I put her through?' The feeling was unmistakable. He had felt the same level of devotion only from Nazarick's natives before.

"You know what, fine." He finally gave in.

{ Can you send someone to pick up Clementine and assign her some living place? You know, the one that was my prisoner and told us who controls Shalltear. } He messaged Albedo.

{ Of course, Lord Pero. Same access level as your other outside servants? } The succubus replied in a neutral tone.

{ Yeah, but give me a heads-up if she causes trouble. She isn't exactly all there anymore. } Pero felt the need to caution the Guardian overseer.

{ Understood. I will assign her room next to your other servants. }

{ Sure. That works. }

'That won't end well.' It took a few moments for the realization to settle in. He just agreed to put Clementine next to her last victims. Shit.

'Fuck! Ah, I'll deal with it after I free my little girl. Maybe let them beat the shit out of her a few times to even the score considering I can order her to not resist their advances.' Pero decided to push the problem onto his future self. Then again, he didn't exactly owe the Swords of Darkness anything. Their revival was more as a courtesy, not an obligation, but useful servants were useful servants.

Editing by aidan_lo.

Proofreading by aidan_lo, Saphire_Drake, x4x, clagan, Antilene, Lightflan, shynavyseal, Sluethen, and Milk.

AN: Thank you for reading the story, and if you have caught up to the latest chapter, you can check out my other work or join my discord server (https://discord.gg/WmGKVU3XG2) where additional chapters are available or if you are interested in becoming a beta reader (gives access to chapters months ahead of regular readers).